I found this image when perusing around in the "Reinstate Keith Olbermann" page on Facebook (he has since been reinstated, by the way. Looks like Mr. Griffin had a little realization about ratings?) It just makes me laugh. Pretty much sums up the state of political discourse lately. Surely the biggest challenge after the "lame-duck" session of congress will be how to get anything done with a split congress.
The mainstream media likes to compare past and present, but I think every congress is a little different. I think there will be a strain not only between left and right, but right and right. You have a huge influx of freshman congressmen and women who's primary allegiance is to the tea party, not necessarily the republican establishment. So who do they get behind? Jim DeMint or Mitch McConnell? This doesn't really look good for bipartisanship. Considering the midterms basically wiped out all of those "blue-dog democrats" who strove to find middle ground with moderate republicans (also few of those now), it seems like this congress is going to be pretty polarized. I think this plays politically well for the Democrats, if and only if they can get in line and make it clear what they want to do. Democrats have a bit of a message problem, and a bigger problem in communicating their NUMEROUS successes. Check out THIS for a comedic list of said accomplishments.
If President Obama and the Democratic party can get a little better at bragging about their accomplishments, the 2012 elections look good, presidentially and taking-back-congress wise. There is a lot of work to be done. For instance, you can't really brag about healthcare until you have cleaned up some of the misinformation about it that is still out there (death panels making a comeback, oh my!). Republicans are going to always have a slight advantage in this field because there is no mistaking the fact that Fox's lineup is in the bag for the Republicans. Millions of dollars and free campaigning in the bag.
I would reccomend the Obama administration be proactive about this. Don't begin the campaign today, you still have lots of work to be done, However, get your message out. Rallies, appearences, youtube videos? Rekindle the fire of 2008 and get your soldiers out there (like me!). Plan ahead, and by 2012 maybe the national conversation could be a little more...informed?
Don't worry too much about bipartisanship. Hold out your hand for them, sure. But expect it to be swatted. Until the republicans feel like ACTUALLY discussing issues, actually coming up with real-world solutions, don't let them take control of the discussion. Those of us who know things like tax cuts for millionaires actually INCREASES the deficit can see right through their concers about fiscal responsiblity (laughable!). Democrats are still the adults, as far as I'm concerned.
